Tin Drum Asiacafé, a fast-casual concept focused on fresh, affordable, authentic Asian street food, announced that the brand is actively seeking potential franchise candidates to expand the brand’s presence nationwide, with a focus on developing restaurants in the Southeast.
Founded by Steven Chan, Tin Drum introduced the street-inspired cuisine of Pan-Asian countries to consumers when the first location opened on Georgia Tech University’s campus. Growing up in Hong Kong, Chan drew inspiration from the hustle, bustle and energy of the streets to turn simple dishes into meals that are tantalizing, comforting and unique in flavor. According to the legend of the Tin Drummer, a man would walk the streets while beating on a tin drum calling the locals to gather together to laugh, listen to music, and most importantly, share a meal.
Tin Drum currently has 12 restaurants in Atlanta, and recently opened its first Florida restaurant in Tampa this past May. Additionally, the brand just signed a franchise agreement with Phong Ho, who also operates a Tropical Smoothie Café, to bring the concept to Ave Maria, Florida, later this year.
“The success of Tin Drum Asiacafé over the past decade is a true testament to the quality and authenticity of the brand and our menu items,” says CEO Mike Rotondo. “We are excited to offer qualified entrepreneurs nationwide an opportunity to join the Tin Drum family and capitalize on the growing trend and demand for high-quality Asian concepts in the fast-casual industry.”
Tin Drum Asiacafé provides the same fast service and convenience typical of Asian street-side cafés, and cooks each dish to order, prepares meals using fresh, simple ingredients and serves guests table-side in a stylishly designed, contemporary setting. The menu is a dynamic and varied mix of traditional Asian fare with bold favors and features cuisine inspired by the cultures of China, India, Pakistan, Japan, Korea, Thailand, and Vietnam.
To fuel Tin Drum Asiacafé’s growth, the company is seeking single and multiunit operators with restaurant experience. Potential franchisee candidates should have a minimum net worth of $400,000, liquid assets of at least $150,000 and be willing to invest between $296,000 to $495,000.
Tin Drum Asiacafé’s aggressive franchise growth is backed by the entrepreneurs at the BIP Franchise Accelerator, a division of venture capital firm BIP Capital, which purchased the brand in 2012. BIP Capital has invested more than $250 million in emerging, high-growth brands across the franchising, software, and technology and consumer products industries. In 2014, BIP Capital created the BIP Franchise Accelerator to leverage its leadership team’s deep franchise experience to help emerging brands accelerate their growth.
In addition to Tin Drum Asiacafé, the BIP Franchise Accelerator’s portfolio includes Tropical Smoothie Café, which has expanded by more than 150 locations in the last five years and has reported double-digit comp sales growth since 2013.
